Introduction
It is crucial to study the Bible and theology together. It is also essential to examine the Scripture in its entirety and read each verse with the understanding that they are inherently linked. The four main narrative phases, creation, fall, redemption, and new creation, should be used to understand God and His precepts. The Bible is coherent from start to finish, and when correctly read, it will constitute the Biblical Metanarrative instead of being a collection of isolated episodes (Kimble & Spellman, 2020). The Bible narrates a tale from start to end, or, to put it differently, it describes the origin and destiny of humankind and teaches individuals how to live to secure an eternal place in Heaven (Etzel & Small, 2016). Thus, in the Bible, the theological themes of love and creation are revealed through the four main plot phases of creation: fall, redemption, and new creation.
Biblical Metanarrative
A narrative is a story with an origin, middle, and conclusion. A solid narrative comprises six components: protagonists, plot, environment, issue, conclusion, and resolution. Many books in the Scripture serve as storytelling illustrations, so even believers frequently wonder how the Bible’s various books connect collectively (Kimble & Spellman, 2020). The term “metanarrative” is frequently used to explain how to view the Bible. The phrase Metanarrative signifies a more thorough narrative that still contains the entire tale components present in a regular report because the prefix “meta” basically implies more thorough.
A Scriptural Metanarrative unites diverse Scripture texts with the overarching goal of restoration. Although many Christians believe that each book of the Bible tells a different story, the Bible must be viewed as a unit (Kaminsky & Reasoner, 2020). The totality of the Bible constitutes God’s word as perceived by the public and by the followers of Jesus Christ. The four main plot arcs in the Bible, seen as a metanarrative, are creation, the fall, redemption, and new creation. Each arc has its cast of characters, setting, issues, and answers. If people read the Bible utilizing the four fundamental plot developments, they must be able to grasp the coherence God desired. When studying the Bible, one should recognize that God’s teachings on creation and love are the same.
Love
The Metanarrative emphasizes the idea that the greatest commandment ever presented was to love. In the creation story, God created Eve out of love for Adam to prevent Adam from being alone. Since every creature was assigned a name in Genesis 2:19, love permeated the whole creation account (Etzel & Gutiérrez, 2014). Although man erred before God, love continued to exist during the fall. After they had consumed the fruit from the forbidden tree, God talked to Adam and Eve out of compassion. God might have wiped out humankind at that moment, but He chose to give them a path instead.
The most beautiful illustration of love is the tale of redemption. The New Testament uses the words “love of God” and “love of Christ” interchangeably. God is love, and according to 1 John 4:8 and 16, “he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” According to John 3:16, “God so loved the world,” which is a crucial aspect of God according to Christianity. Since it illustrates what love feels like, 1 Corinthians 13 is referred to as the “love chapter” of the Scripture.
Since humankind can re-establish communion with God at that time, fresh creation is the most remarkable illustration of love once the old has expired and the new has arrived. Romans 5:8 emphasizes that Christ died for people while they were still offenders to give them a new life, illustrating the love that manifests in the new creation. The four key New and Old Testament plot developments have a recurring theme of God’s love.
Creation
One might accept that God is the creator of many things while looking at Genesis in the Scripture and theological works. God made the heavens and the planets at the start, according to Genesis 1:1, the first verse of the Bible. Believers know that God created humanity and Jesus to reveal His character to the world. Jesus shows what God is like because Jesus is God (Forger, 2020). Beginning with the making of humankind, creation is essential to the development of the four storylines and God’s plan. “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves,” reads Genesis 3:7 (New International Version Bible, 2007). This represented the creation aspect of humanity, He inhaled the life-giving breath into the man’s nose, causing the man to become a living being.
Once Adam and Eve were created, sin invaded the Garden of Eden, and humankind fell when they could see things concerning them that prompted them to regret their acts of disobedience. God gave those who trust in him the privilege of eternal life at the time of humanity’s fall. Jesus served as God’s example of how to live for and via Him. From this, people got an idea of what a path to everlasting life should entail.
God created Jesus and sent him to earth as a simple path to redemption. However, the wonderful thing concerning redemption is that whenever individuals do make errors, He forgives them because He is the writer and perfecter of the Christian faith. Due to this, forgiveness has transformed followers into new creatures who now give God their very best. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here,” according to 2 Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version Bible, 2007). Knowing the distinction between the maker and his creation has practical ramifications. Moreover, it is important to understand that God is in charge at all times and that humankind has meaning. God provided his one and only child to reveal that those who believe in him shall be granted an unending life. The most significant present from God shall be this new form of being in Heaven.
Conclusion
A metanarrative demonstrates how the Bible connects from beginning to end. These four movements address various theological issues, but the themes of love and creation are highlighted in this essay. Using the four main story events, the biblical themes of love and creation demonstrate unity. These actions contribute to painting a depiction of God’s love for people and His purpose for humanity. When Christians apply the four primary narrative arcs to their interpretations, they can see how the Bible’s sections relate to one another; all religious texts have salvation as their central theme. The only way to be saved is by living for Christ and trusting him. People can understand the Bible and God’s instructions using their readings’ four basic narrative developments. It is incredible to see how the Bible’s entirety ties together.
References
Etzel, G., & Gutiérrez, B. (2014). Theology applied: A living faith. B&H Academic.
Etzel, G., & Small, R. N. (2016). Everyday theology: Exploring the Christian faith. B&H Academic.
Forger, D. (2020). Jesus as God’s word(s): Aurality, epistemology and embodiment in the gospel of John. Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 42(3), 274–302. Web.
Kaminsky, J., & Reasoner, M. (2020). In quest of a coherent portrait of Paul: A rejoinder to Michael Bird. Harvard Theological Review, 113(4), 513–527. Web.
Kimble, J. M., & Spellman, C. (2020). Invitation to biblical theology: Exploring the shape, storyline, and themes of Scripture. Kregel Academic.
New International Version Bible (2007). Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.